


The Red Ones

by seasalticecream32



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 11:36:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4434032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasalticecream32/pseuds/seasalticecream32
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red flowers at a funeral, but Arthur didn't remember why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Red Ones

_Prompt list: Things you say that make me feel like shit + things you say after you kiss me.  
Pairing: Merthur_

**The Red Ones**

Merlin came every year.

He always brought red flowers. Arthur hated red flowers. They were bright and monstrous in a graveyard. They reminded him of being alive.

But he didn’t complain. Not that he could. But even if he could, he wouldn’t.

When Merlin visited him, he sang. And it was better than any sound Arthur had ever heard.

Sometimes he sang children’s song. He called Arthur his sunshine and he smiled as Arthur chased his grey skies away. He sang old Elvis classics and danced with imaginary arms that loved him tender. He hummed along to current hits and old jazz music and music that almost made Arthur feel his blood pumping again.

It was a once a year party and it was all Arthur had.

He never wondered why Merlin would come to a graveyard for a stranger.  He didn’t care. He showed up and that’s more than anyone else had done. Even his own sister couldn’t be half-arsed to hang around in the afterlife with him. She’d moved right along without him.

He didn’t even know what he was waiting on. He should have moved on with her.

But when Merlin came around, he was glad he didn’t.

***

Merlin showed up on a July afternoon. Arthur almost missed him. He’d been taking one of his month long naps when he’d woke to bright red flowers flashing around his face and whistling in his ears. Merlin was stomping around the dried up grass and swinging the flowers from side to side like he might stab someone with the broken stems. The tune he whistled sounded like it ground right through his teeth first.

Dark curls poked out from clenched fists and tears squeezed out from scrunched eyes and Merlin collapsed at Arthur’s tombstone. The whistling stopped and the red petals crushed against the ground. Merlin Emrys was breaking down.

It was the strangest thing he’d ever seen; a stranger mourning for him.

“It’s going to rain soon. You’ll get all wet.” Arthur looked around the cloudy sky. “Those horrid flowers will bleed everywhere.”

“You asshat. I’ve spent a small fortune on those flowers.” Merlin mumbled. His palms were pressed into his hands and his lips were trembling before he realized. Blue eyes swung around, looking for the source of Arthur’s voice.

It didn’t take Arthur that long. For a second, he blinked away into whatever nothingness his ghost body liked to disappear to. Then he blinked back and there was Merlin, still looking for him.

“If you just said something to me then you better do it again or I’ll find your dead ass.” Merlin frowned.

“I don’t like red flowers, you jerk.” Arthur repeated himself and waited.

“Why the fuck are you complaining about flowers?” Merlin’s face was splotchy. His eyes darted around but Arthur knew he wouldn’t find him. Even if he could hear him, no one could possibly see him. Unless they died.

“Why are you wailing on some stranger’s grave?”

“Some strange? What are you on about?” Merlin frowned and stopped looking for him. “I’m not some stranger.”

“ _Mer_ lin, it doesn’t count as getting to know each other when we’ve never spoken before.”

“I speak to you all the time.” The breathless way Merlin said it almost knocked him back.

“I don’t speak to you?”

“Why are you being such an ass?! This is the first time I’ve heard your voice in five years and all you can say is ‘crap flowers?’” Merlin stood and kicked Arthur’s gravestone. “What the hell, Arthur?”

But Arthur wasn’t listening or watching Merlin anymore.

_Red flowers in the summer, sitting on the table._

_Red flowers in the winter. It was fire on the snow._

_Red flowers in dark hair._

_Red flowers in pale hands, trembling._

_Red flowers on the table, next to the Jello and the mashed potatoes and the medicine cup._

_Red flowers at the funeral, but Arthur couldn’t remember why._

By the time Arthur came back to the present, Merlin was gone.

There were red petals in the grass and in the rain and Arthur hated them more than ever.

***

It was several months before Merlin came back.

“I don’t know if you’re there, Arthur, but I miss you. I brought blue ones this time.” Merlin placed the flowers against the stone, tracing a finger over the words.

_Husband, Son, Leader. Arthur Pendragon._

He didn’t feel the press of Arthur’s lips against his skin. He didn’t feel the touch of Arthur’s  hand to his. But he did hear the words that Arthur whispered in his ear.

“The red ones were fine.” 

 


End file.
